Mpopoma girls get free counselling

Whinsley Masara Chronicle Reporter
THREE women from Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo have eased the burden for girls in their area by providing them with a resource centre with learning and counselling services entirely free of charge.
Lorraine Bere, Vuyiswa Mashengele and Sithulisiwe Mazwi have come up with “You Have It in You Foundation” that has a library, free internet and counselling services, among others as a way of giving back to the community.
In the meantime, the centre is catering for girls only but boys will be introduced in due course.
Mashengele told The Chronicle that they were targeting girls between the ages of five and 21 years for them to realise their passions and potential.
She said everyone was capable of rising and shining, thereby fulfilling one’s dreams through this centre.
“We have located the resource centre at Inyathi Vocational Training centre. It’s housed at the Cinema workshop building and it became operational at the beginning of this month. Currently we have made it available to girls in Mpopoma suburb only but we promise to grow as soon as we can. All services at the resource centre are entirely for free as long as they have registered with us,” said Mashengele.
Bere said the resource centre also offers life skills and leadership programmes.
There is a library and there are plans to offer entrepreneurship courses as well.
“We will offer free Wi-Fi which will enable them to explore the outside world through computer technology, hence opening up their minds. All these services will be offered to youngsters for free as we plan brighter futures for them,” said Bere.
She said the resource centre was also their own way of reducing crime in the suburb.
“This is also a way of giving back to the community which raised us and made us who we are today. This is merely a responsibility act where we are looking out for our youngsters.
“We want to give them a place where they can go and get assistance because we want to offer counselling as soon as we get volunteers to offer these services under our centre,” Bere said.
“So far we have forked in a couple of thousands into the project but because this is a lifetime thing, we are set to inject more funds as we wish to include boys as soon as we can.”
They said they are looking for volunteers who are willing to partner them to offer certain facilities such as computer lessons, Mathematics and English tutoring.
Librarians are also required.
For more details on the resource centre people are free to visit the place or call on 09-400355.